Getting By, Chapter 4 Insert
by R.Harper
Summary: The 'M' rated alternative scenes that take place during the story.  If you haven't read the full story they might not make sense!  The full story is stored under 'Getting By' under a T rating.  Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to the insert for Chapter 4 – the 'dirty' bit…**

**Just before you start, I have to let you know this is my first time writing smut, so please be kind **

**This follows on from the first section of the main body of the chapter (in the 'T' rated bit)**

Shaun drops his bag in the hall with a groan and stretches his arms out to the side, feeling the dormant muscles extend and warm. He rubs at a crick in the back of his neck and goes in search of food. Zach's voice floats out to him as he pulls Cody's coat on and makes him promise to behave at the park with Danny and his mom. Cody promises solemnly and when the bell rings he walks calmly to the door and opens it. Shaun snickers quietly through a mouthful of chips when he hears Zach tell Danny's mom that he doesn't have to be back at any certain time, and gives her ten dollars for his lunch and a candy bar.

With the door shut Zach presses his back against the wood and leans his head back, exhaling loudly. With the house quiet and just he and Shaun there, the need that's been smothering him for weeks comes pulsing to the surface.

Zach walks to the kitchen and leans against the doorframe, just taking in the sight of Shaun chewing contentedly on a mouthful of chips, eyes closed.

"Shaun." He opens one eye and swivels it to Zach.

"Yeah?" Zach doesn't know what to say to properly get across what is on his mind. So he walks over and just stands next to him against the worktop, leaning his body weight against his. Shaun puts the bag down, wipes his hands on the dishcloth hanging over the tap and takes his time drying off each finger on the towel, locking into eye contact with Zach. The atmosphere is thick with something he can't quite describe, and the look on Zach's face is almost blank, but his eyes are just so…hot.

Shaun places the towel on the side and stands so close in front of Zach that their bodies are almost touching. He reaches out one hand and runs his knuckles down the side of Zach's face, relishing in the temperature of his skin and the smell of him. He'd kept an image of him like this fixed securely in his mind while he was away, and the thought of how he'd needed him whilst he was alone in his hotel flashes hotly through his mind. He clamps his teeth together and brings his palm to rest against Zach's neck, his thumb covering the vulnerable pulse point with the pounding blood rhythm that is just so him.

"I…missed you." Zach says, unable to meet his eye, murmuring bashfully. Shaun swallows heavily and reaches his other arm around to his back, resting in the curve of his spine.

"I love you, Zach." Zach finally moves his eyes upward to look at him square in the face, and runs his hand along the fabric of Shaun's heavy wool jumper, tugging at it to move him closer still.

"I… if you're still hungry I can make you a sandwich…or something."

"Forget the sandwich."

When Zach finally crashes his lips into Shaun's, it feels almost like the first time they ever kissed. Shaun runs his tongue along the sweet skin on the inside of Zach's mouth while he bites down on Shaun's bottom lip. Shaun pulls the sweater off over his head and drops it to the floor, and Zach's frantic hands inch his t-shirt upward, moaning at the feeling of skin-on-skin contact.

"Come on," he rasps, and links their fingers, drawing him out of the kitchen and toward the bedroom.

The curtains are still drawn from earlier, lending a hazy tint to the wintery light leaking in through the window. Shaun kicks the door shut with his foot and roughly draws Zach to him again.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you." He whispers into his mouth, and Zach's grip on his hands tighten.

"It's been so…shitty without you." Zach replies, and they both laugh a little at the bluntness of the statement, before Shaun tips his head back and kisses the angle of his jaw. Before he can stop it Zach's body pushes forward, and his growing hardness brushes against Shaun's. He gasps and half guides-half pushes Zach toward the bed, sitting down and guiding Zach to straddle him.

"Jesus, I want you so much," he murmurs, running his hands along the raised vertebrae of Zach's back, breathing in the smell of the crook of his neck. Zach runs his fingers through the thick brown hair swept messily across Shaun's head, and pulls firmly at the back to move his head back to a position where he can lean down and kiss him long and slow.

However, long and slow don't always cut it, and Zach pulls back from him, pulling his shirt over his head before tossing it blindly across the room, where it lands limply over a chair. Shaun moves his lips to the tanned skin of his chest, and he traces the outline of his muscles with the very tip of his tongue, tasting faintly the washing powder the sheets were cleaned with and a hint of paint.

Zach uses both hands to firmly press Shaun back into the bed, where he lies, pupils dilated, breathing heavily and staring up at Zach. Shakily he undoes the belt of Shaun's jeans and flicks the button through the hole, before laying his hands on the zip and drawing it slowly down.

The shape of Shaun in the black boxers makes him bite his lower lip, and Zach lays his hand on him, pushing down with the heel of his hand, curling his fingers about his length. Shaun groans and bucks upward, hands clutching at the bed clothes about him, forearms straining.

"Please," he murmurs, and Zach hooks his fingers over the waistband of the jeans and pulls them down, brushing his hands purposely over the curve of Shaun's ass as he guides them the length of his legs. Once they are dropped on the floor he removes his pants in record time and clambers on top of Shaun, bracing his knees on either side of his thighs as he rests his weight on his elbows.

He begins grinding his hips downward, getting off on the grunts, moans and sighs slipping from Shaun's mouth. He'd never say it, but he loves that Shaun is so vocal; it's the hottest thing in the world to know that it's him making him feel so good.

Shaun moves one hand to rest on Zach's ass, and slips it up the leg of his boxer shorts, digging his fingertips into the curve inching slowly across the cheek, before rubbing softly against the cleft.

Zach gasps and stiffens momentarily before inching his knees further apart to give Shaun better access.

"Hey, if you don't want this it's ok," Shaun says, stilling his hands and rubbing soothingly up and down the skin of his leg. Zach shakes his head and murmurs that he does want it, but this position isn't easy. Shaun laughs quietly and rolls him over, before getting off the bed, shucking his t-shirt and pulling off his boxers so he stood, completely naked in front of him. Zach stares at him with such want and hunger that it's all Shaun can do to not bend him over right then and there.

"C'mere," Zach breathes, and Shaun climbs back on the bed and lies down on his side next to him.

For a few moments they just touch, hands becoming reacquainted with the shapes and planes of each others bodies. Shaun reaches over to the drawer on his side of the bed and pulls out their supplies. Zach reflexively spreads his legs again, reaching for the tube Shaun holds, and frowns when he doesn't let go of it.

"What's the matter?" Shaun just leans in, kisses him deeply and takes one of his hands, drawing it round to his back. Zach's eyes widen, and the look on his face asks _are you sure?_

Shaun has never been so sure of anything in his life. It isn't that they haven't done it this way before, but the amount of times it's happened can be fitted on one hand, and it just doesn't get brought up very often.

Zach squeezes some of the liquid onto his fingers and lets it warm a little before he pulls one of Shaun's knees up to cross over his hip, and moves his fingers toward Shaun's hole.

Shaun's eyes widen slightly at his touch, but he continues to lay there, head coming to rest on Zach's shoulder, his free arm tucked between them, splayed against Zach's chest.

Zach circles and opens, going as slowly as he can manage. His own erection is almost painful at the thought of what's coming up, and he swallows thickly when he gently pushes in up to his second knuckle. Shaun sighs and pushes back, mouth moving against Zach's neck as he murmurs for more. Zach adds another finger and moves them in and out, tips curling to find the tiny spot that would completely undo Shaun. He concentrates hard, smiling to himself when Shaun jerks beneath him, moving his mouth up for a kiss.

They lie like this for a while, clinging to each other, until Shaun gently removes Zach's fingers and rolls on to his back, drawing his knees up in preparation. Zach somewhat hesitantly moves to kneel between his legs, looking into Shaun's eyes for confirmation and reassurance. Shaun nods imperceptibly and uses his ankles and heels to draw him in until he presses against Shaun's entrance.

Zach fumbles the condom on and rolls it down, hands unsteady, before resting his weight above him and pushing gradually. Shaun makes a sort of strangled moan and tilts his head back, arms gripping hard onto Zach's biceps. They hold the position for a while until Shaun shifts below him.

"Please Zach, you gotta move. It's alright, I promise…"

Zach doesn't need anymore encouragement and starts a steady rhythm; sweat breaking out on his forehead as he pulls out then pushes back in. All the longing and the sadness and anxiety go into those thrusts and he lets his head droop and breathing get more ragged as he loses himself in Shaun's body.

"Babe," Shaun manages to say, and the sound of his voice so thick with love and drugged up with lust drives Zach wild. He picks up the pace and pounds into him over and over and over until he feels everything rushing down through his belly and he fists his hands and buries his head in the warmth and comfort of Shaun's neck, groaning his release.

Shaun grips onto him tightly, and is so precariously close that when he feels Zach tense, and his hand move between them to raggedly jerk him off he moans Zach's name before exploding between them.

They lie in the aftermath, Shaun's hand flung about Zach's neck while they recover.

Eventually Zach shifts and he grabs the lip of the condom, drawing out with a sigh. He ties it up and throws it into the waste basket next to the bed before collapsing back on to the pillows, inching close to Shaun and just basking in their shared heat.

Shaun smiles sleepily and foggily reaches for a handful of tissues from the bedside table, wiping off as much of the semen as he can before manoeuvring the covers from underneath them and tugging them up over their sated bodies.

**Please now switch back to the main body of the story, where there is an indicator as to where you should read from. I hope you feel I did this justice!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N; Guys, I'm sorry, I just read the version of this on the website and realised I uploaded another, unfinished version! I'm so sorry. I hope this makes more sense.**

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><p>Zach tries to distract himself by unpacking his bag – placing the unworn clothes back in the drawers and closet and throwing dirty ones in the basket. He wipes up a drop of water left behind by his bottle and twitches the curtains shut properly. He can hear the sounds of Shaun brushing his teeth, splashing water on his face and the click of the tube of moisturiser he teases him about.<p>

Zach pulls down his shorts and slips into bed still wearing his boxers, sighing quietly at the feel of cool sheets against his skin. Shaun wanders back into the room a moment later, shucking his shirt straight into the basket and slipping off the jeans into a pile on the floor.

Zach has turned down the cover of the bed before Shaun even gets there, and without needing to utter a word Shaun falls into the space created by Zach's arms, dragging their bodies so close it feels like they're breathing the same air.

Zach buries his head into the soft dip of skin between neck and shoulder and mentally sends an apology to Shaun for everything; for how he acted at the party, for depending on him as much as he does, and for saying those horrible words at Tori's place.

Shaun tightens his arms about Zach's waist and tries to put into words what he's feeling. Normally so good with words, he finds himself at a complete loss, and continues to hold Zach, frustration at his inability to express himself building. He kisses him firmly, running his tongue over beautifully shaped, pouting lips, and can't believe how much he wants to fuck him. Not to 'make love', just a hot, passionate, animalistic _fuck_, where one or both of them will come screaming.

They sit like this for a while, wrapped around each other, until Shaun snaps.  
>"I've had enough of this," he snarls, and rolls onto his knees, hands moving Zach down the bed until he's lying on his back.<p>

When Shaun is crouched over Zach, body covering his, it feels like that night; Zach turning up to the house after weeks of unresolved sexual tension, attacking Shaun desperately as soon as the door was opened, dragging him upstairs and lying down, like this, needing so badly to be loved and wanted. That's certainly something that's never changed, and right now Shaun doesn't think he's ever wanted, no, _needed_, anything as badly as he needs this. With another noise at the back of his throat he moves to lie half draped over Zach, the length of one forearm pressed against his sternum, ensuring he is immobile. His free hand drifts the length of Zach's torso, the backs of his nails digging in, and for a second he hopes there will be long red marks left in the morning, so everytime Zach sees them he'll remember this.

At the feel of his touch Zach strains his head up, trying to meet Shaun's lips, and swearing under his breath when his shoulders are pressed down hard, hitting the bed with a soft thump.

Zach doesn't remember how it got as aggressive as it did. One minute they were just kissing, and Shaun was doing that thing that drives him crazy with his nails, and the next they are struggling for control, fingers dragging, teeth no longer just nipping; muscles tense against the body of the other. All of the anger and the tension from the stupid party and stupid Steven comes bubbling to the surface, and Shaun feels like he's fucking his way through their semi-break up/engagement. When he holds Zach's legs apart he knows he's gripping the flesh too hard, but can't seem to let go. When Zach brushes his teeth across Shaun's neck he finds the spot where his blood pounds and catches it between his teeth, tugging at it until Shaun hisses and flinches away.

Shaun's eyes glitter with a kind of wildness Zach hasn't seen in a long time, and even as he grows impossibly hard, Zach can't help a feeling of apprehension as Shaun moves above him. Shaun looks at him, eyes bright, chest heaving, hands reaching, and nearly chokes with the strength of feeling running through him.

Zach traces the line of Shaun's tattoo with his fingertips. He can feel the atmosphere between them, and knows this isn't going to be soft, or gentle. He doesn't care that it's going to hurt like hell; he doesn't care that he'll look like shit in the morning, because all he needs is right here, sitting between his thighs, staring at him. With a flash of irrational guilt Zach thinks that he never looked at Tori like this, in all the time they were together, and somehow that guilt and shame adds to the fire, and suddenly he's hissing at Shaun to just fucking _do it already._

Shaun climbs off and reaches for the drawer in the bedside table, ripping a condom packet off the roll and throwing the lube back onto the bed. His mouth is suddenly rather dry as he fumbles open the condom packet and tries to roll it on quickly, hissing in irritation when he drops it and has to scrabble about between the covers for it. Zach's hand on the back of his shoulder forces him to breathe properly, and he laughs softly, nervously, as he tries again. He rolls it on and reaches for Zach's legs, to pull them up onto his shoulders, but Zach wrestles his way from around Shaun and kneels up, kissing Shaun so hard he thinks he can taste blood, before rolling him onto his back and swinging his leg over so he's straddling his prone figure.

He grabs the tube from the bed and squeezes some out onto his fingers before taking a seemingly eternal amount of time to prepare himself; watching Shaun's pupils dilate to the size of saucers. Testing out his knees, Zach bends a little, so the tip of Shaun's dick just presses lightly against him. Shaun instantly goes still, eyes drifting shut and jaw clamped tightly, fingers bunching the covers as he exhales throughout his nose.

Zach nearly gasps when he sinks all the way down, steadying himself by resting his hands on the bones of Shaun's pelvis. Shaun's eyes pop open and he moans, staring into Zach's eyes as he slowly starts to move up and down.

It's times like this Zach wonders how he ever even doubted his feelings for Shaun before all of this. Even when he lay in bed and used to get hard just thinking about him, he told himself that it was just him confusing friendship with something more. Kind of a hero-worship thing, he thought.

But now, with Shaun pressed all the way inside of his, his thumb pressed against the head of Zach's dick, Zach knows this is exactly where he wants to be, always.

Shaun grinds his head backward into the pillow, moving one hand to Zach's waist to pull him down further, to bury himself deeper inside him.

And all at once it's too much; too sensitive, too amazing, too emotional, and he can barely manage to gasp an anguished _Zach_ before he's coming, body bucking with such force Zach has to grip his hips tighter to avoid being bucked off altogether. Shaun's hand carries on raggedly jerking him off, and it isn't long before his eyes open wide and his mouth twists and he's tipped over the edge himself.

Shakily, Zach kneels up, wincing at the feeling loss as Shaun slips from him and collapses in a broken heap half on, half off Shaun's trembling body.

"I love you so fuckin' much." Shaun breathes, and loops an arm about Zach's waist, kissing him weakly on top of his head. Zach doesn't trust himself to speak, so just nods and curls his legs up to surround Shaun's, exhaustion lapping at the corners of his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 7 Insert A ****– please accept these two separate inserts (one before their dinner and one after) as a sorry for taking so damn long updating. I hope this upload goes smoother than the last one! I've uploaded them in different chapters so hopefully it makes the transition between pages smoother.**

**Enjoy ;)**

**Pre Dinner:**

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><p>"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to make you late." Shaun mocks gently, reaching out to grab Zach around the waist and pull him closer.<p>

It's been two and a half weeks since they had sex, which isn't forever, but feels pretty damn long right then. Zach wastes no time in pressing his lips against Shaun's and weaving their fingers together. Shaun half-moans into the kiss, making Zach shiver and push him backward toward the bed until the backs of Shaun's legs hit the side and he has to sit down heavily, Zach still leaning over him. Shaun moves his hands down the muscles of Zach's ass and pulls him down until he collapses and they lie in an undignified heap on the bed.

"Well, this is just super sexy, huh?" comes Shaun's muffled voice from underneath Zach's shoulder. Zach laughs and rolls off, undoing his belt and toeing off his shoes.

"Hey old man, it isn't my fault that you're losing your moves," he says cheekily, and Shaun opens his mouth in mock outrage before narrowing his eyes and grabbing him round the waist, moving one hand up to Zach's ribs and tickling him ferociously. Zach can't help the high pitched, hysterical laugh that pours out of his mouth as he writhes and wriggles about, kicking legs barely missing Shaun's face.

"You asshole, I'll teach you to call me old!" he taunts, and laughs along with Zach, before finally giving up the ghost and releasing him, rolling flat on his back and smirking as Zach tries to catch his breath.

When Zach finally gets his breath back he looks over at Shaun, shaking his head in disbelief. "I take it back; you still have the moves." Shaun grins in satisfaction and reaches one hand out to stroke up his side.

"Want me to show you some of my moves?" Zach groans at the corny line, but grudgingly nods; "Yeah, I wanna see 'em."

Shaun rolls onto his side and kneels, moving one knee over Zach's body so he kneels above him, stretching his hands above his head and running his fingertips softly up the tender skin above his elbows. "It's been too long babe," he murmurs, and Zach nods in agreement, eyelids fluttering shut. Guiding Zach up until his head hits the pillow, Shaun pulls the t-shirt from his body and throws it to the floor. Using his tongue he traces a line down between the muscles of his abdomen and uses his hands to unbutton his jeans. Zach's eyes pop open in surprise as Shaun starts to pull down the trousers, and his breath hitches when he realises Shaun is intending to stay down there.

"Jesus…_Shaun_!" Once the jeans are past his thighs, Shaun pulls them and his socks off in one go and throws them in the same direction as the t-shirt. Keeping eye contact the whole time Shaun peels down the fabric of his boxers and rubs a thumb over the base of Zach's cock. "Oh god…" Zach breathes, and twitches his hips up reflexively as Shaun pulls them down completely, exposing his cock to the warmth of the room.

Shaun's mouth is warm when it takes him in, and Zach tries so hard to concentrate when he starts moving his tongue up around the head. He just knows this isn't going to take very long, and feebly pushes at Shaun's shoulders.

"Shaun, if you don't, I'll…" but Shaun just moves his hands to grip at his hips and does something with his tongue that Zach doesn't think is even legal. Just when he thinks he's close, Shaun looks up at him, eyes hooded, and then all Zach can think of is that mouth with those lips, moving up and down him steadily. He gasps and winds one hand tight in his hair as Shaun lubricates one finger and nudges his legs apart to slide it in up to the knuckle, twisting until he catches his prostate and rubs it firmly.

Zach explodes inside his mouth, his muscles twitching wildly, and lets out a grunting moan as Shaun continues swallowing and licking and _god!_

As he lies catching his breath again, Shaun crawls up the bed to lie next to him, smiling broadly. "I think we've still got ten minutes before dinner."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 7 part B**

**Post Dinner:**

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><p>"Hmm, I like this control thing you got going on, it's sexy." Zach closes his eyes momentarily.<p>

"Sit down and shut up," he breathes, and Shaun seats himself on the edge of the bed, Zach coming to stand over him. He leans down and kisses Shaun softly on the side of his mouth, before stepping back and rummaging for something in the side pocket of his bag.

"Tell me you packed something," he moans, and Shaun nods, leaning over to the wallet lying on the floor and taking out a small foil packet of lube. With no desire to take things slow, Zach pulls off the shirt, still buttoned, before reaching down to unzip the black trousers quickly and push them down his legs.

Shaun fumbles with the buttons on his own shirt and licks his dry lips as he watches the smooth tanned skin of Zach's stomach and chest appear.

"God, I want you so bad," he murmurs, not caring that he sounds like a lust-stricken teenager; because that's how Zach makes him feel. He can't remember a time when he enjoyed sex as much as this. Steven had never been that fussed about it, and by the end of their relationship he spent more time at the gym than at the apartment. As Zach moved to sit on his lap facing him, Shaun made a mental note to discuss getting a better place with him later.

"I need you," Zach whispers shyly into his ear, and Shaun's heart squeezes a little more with love, because in all the time they've been together, Zach has never been to dirty talk or vocalise what he wants, and even now he can feel the heat from his cheek as their faces press together. Shaun mumbles some nonsense words of love into his ear and Zach responds by letting his tongue run down the sinews on the side of his neck, closing his lips when Shaun's Adam's Apple vibrates on a moan.

Shaun lets his hand run across the firm, lightly haired skin of Zach's thigh, feeling himself get more and more aroused as his fingers trace around the area surrounding his cock, but don't meet it. Zach's grip on his shoulders increases, and he suddenly stands up, muttering to Shaun to get his pants off, which he does all too happily. Zach stands, now naked, body slightly bent in on itself, as if still slightly embarrassed by having someone look at him. Shaun reaches for him and catches his hands as he holds them out.

"Please, come here Zach." He says huskily, and Zach steps forward into his arms, to be pulled back down onto his lap. "Tell me if I'm hurting you," he says, and Shaun almost laughs because Zach could never hurt him like that. Reaching behind him for the lube Zach rips the packet and squeezes some of it onto his palm, warming it slightly before gently applying it to Shaun's cock, using his fingers to ensure a proper coating, all the while kissing him slowly. Taking one of Shaun's hands, Zach coats two of the fingers with the remaining lube and nods when Shaun looks at him questioningly. He raises himself up slightly and breathes in sharply to the side of Shaun's neck when he feels a finger enter and push right up the knuckle, crooking until it finds that magic spot and brushes against it sporadically, making his stomach muscles contract and his back arch.

"Do it, Shaun, please." He groans, not caring for once that he says it loudly, and huffs when the finger is removed. "You're gonna have to stand up a little babe," Shaun breathes, and with shaking legs Zach stands a little, Shaun pressing kisses along the lower part of his belly, holding him gently around the waist as he starts to lower back down.

He tells himself to relax when Shaun's cock pushes up against him, and nearly comes himself when he sees Shaun's face, eyes shut, mouth open slightly, head back.

It's all he needs to relax, taking Shaun's length inside him and sliding down with a strangled moan until once again he sits on Shaun's lap. Wordlessly Shaun shifts Zach's knees to rest on top of the bed, and he's half kneeling across him. Zach pushes up with his knees and feels Shaun's hands cup his ass and thighs supportively as he helps him move up and back down.

"You feel so good, babe," he gasps, and Zach can't even answer because all he can feel is the friction of his cock against Shaun and the all encompassing feeling of being completely filled and just…loved.

They build up a steady rhythm, the sounds of sighs and moans filling the room, and Zach loses all sense of time. It could have been minutes or hours before he feels Shaun tense and shudder, a cry bursting from his lips as he crushes Zach to him and freezes for a few moments before slumping against him, Zach cradling his head and smoothing kisses on top of his head. Lazily Shaun reaches between them, jerking Zach off in a few strokes, until he's coming between them, nails digging into Shaun's back.

Sleepily Zach climbs off and stretches out his muscles, holding a hand out to Shaun, who sits, head in hands, looking utterly dazed.

"C'mon, shower." He says, and Shaun stands up shakily, linking their hands together as they walk over to the bathroom.

After the brief shower, they climb into bed and lie on their sides, facing each other. Shaun brings his knee up to rest between both of Zach's, and Zach curls his arms in to lie in the gap between their bodies. Shaun's soft smile makes Zach's stomach flutter, and he reaches out to briefly touch his cheek.

"I know what you're thinking," Shaun murmurs, and Zach closes his eyes as he asks,

"What?"

"You're totally thinking about how sexy I am right now." Zach snorts, but the effect is spoilt by a massive yawn splitting his face.

"Sure I am. G'night."

"Night babe, love you." And that small statement warms Zach better than any comforter could, so he takes a moment before replying "love you too."

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><p><strong>Enjoy the smut? Let me know.<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Self explanatory really – the smutty bit after Zach gets home in chapter 10. enjoy…**

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><p>Zach can't remember the last time he walked home so fast, his breath coming in uneven bursts as he practically ran up the hill toward the apartment. They hadn't had sex since before he went to see Jeanne, and it felt like an eternity.<p>

He covers the ground in long strides, ignoring the burn in the backs of his calves as he moves closer and closer to the apartment.

His phone buzzes; he looks at it and grins when he sees a message from Shaun; _Whenever you're ready, babe…x_

He makes the five minute journey in three and a half minutes, keys ready as he takes the stairs two at a time. Just as he reaches the top Shaun opens the door, his face slightly flushed and the top button of his jeans undone, the black of his underwear just peeking through under his t-shirt. His eyes eat Zach up hungrily, and he holds his hand out.

Zach grabs it and Shaun pulls him through the door, pushing it closed behind him and pinning Zach up against the wood, his breath hot against his ear.

"I love it when you get all assertive, it's _so_ hot."

Zach squirms, suddenly way too hot in his sweater and cargo pants. Shaun does that thing with the tip of his nose down the sensitive skin of Zach's neck, and he curls his hands around the back of Shaun's neck, pulling him even closer.

"Get the clothes off." Zach breathes roughly, and Shaun grunts longingly, his eyes bright.

"Yes sir!"

Zach walks through to the bedroom, yanking off his clothes and tossing them on the floor, until he's sat, wearing just his underpants, leaning back on his hands as he watches Shaun walk in. His body is still shaped by the trips he makes to the gym three times a week, and the low-fat, low-carb diet he insists on. At this point in time all Zach wants to do is to lie him down while he runs his lips slowly down the centre of his body, while Shaun moans beneath him.

"Zach?" comes Shaun's husky voice, and Zach blinks once, looking up into his flushed face.

"C'mere, now."

Shaun doesn't need telling again, and walks over to Zach, by now completely naked. Zach grips his lip so tightly between his teeth he can almost taste blood as he reaches out one hand tentatively to touch the skin stretched over his hipbone. Shaun inhales sharply at the contact and just stands, breathing heavily as Zach maps the outline of his body with his fingertips. His throat feels as dry as sandpaper suddenly, and the heat seems to roll off his body in waves.

"Where do you want me?" Shaun asks, and Zach almost laughs, because honestly? He wants him everywhere. He wants him inside him, filling him, and wants to be the one making Shaun moan. Zach wants him soft and pliant below him, and rough and ready above him. He wants him on his hands and knees, and tied up to the bed frame. He knows he may never say these things to Shaun, but just the thought of them makes him hard enough to come right there and then.

"Lie down." He breathes, and Shaun moves to get on the bed, settling himself down, eyes once more connecting with Zach's. Zach twists round until he's on his hands and knees, hands slightly shaky at sight of Shaun lying there, coming undone rapidly, because of him.

Zach never gets why he's desirable. He doesn't understand why Shaun chose him, or why Tori always kept coming back to him when he treated her carelessly. He struggles with the idea of being _worthy_ of all the love and kindness he gets from other people. He knows he's changed since he moved to LA, but maybe it's for the better. He doesn't feel so angry anymore, there's no crappy life to hate, or dead end job to look forward to. In it's place is a guy who, for whatever reason, loves him, a happy, healthy kid who's flourishing beautifully, a course doing what he loves, and the lack of a constant fear about money.

"Zach, come back to me babe." Shaun murmurs, and Zach realises he's been a million miles away again. He wastes no time moving to straddle Shaun, and bringing his hands to pin above his head while he bruises his mouth with searing kisses.

"I want you all the fucking time Shaun, you drive me crazy! And I know I don't say it enough, but I just…" with that Zach's hips grind down of their own accord and Shaun sighs pleasurably.

"I love this taking charge thing you got going on," he whispers into Zach's lips, and thrusts back against him. Zach almost chokes at the friction, and pulls back quickly.

"Get on your hands and knees."

Shaun looks at him for a moment and rolls over, raising himself up with his head toward the pillow. Zach fumbles the lube out of the drawer and squeezes some out, coating himself with it and running his hand down Shaun's lower back. Shaun shudders and spreads his legs wider.

"Tell me if I hurt you." Zach says, and gently runs one finger over Shaun's opening, gasping when Shaun pushes back, driving Zach in up to his second knuckle.

"_Shaun_."

He tries two fingers, twisting and curling them inside him, until Shaun looks round at him, and his face says it all. With a moan Zach lines himself up and slowly pushes up against him, holding onto his hips to steady himself. Shaun shifts around until he's in all the way, and they just hold that position for a few seconds, getting used to the feel of each other again.

"Come on, give me all you got!" Shaun gasps, and Zach lets out a half crazed choking laugh and starts moving his hips backward and forward steadily.

When he feels close, Zach bends slightly, so his chest meets the sweat coated skin of Shaun's back. Reaching round for Shaun's dick, he grips it tightly and jerks downward firmly. Shaun clenches his fists into the covers and lets out a low, guttural sound that goes straight to Zach's head, and before he realises it he's coming, eyes closed as he claws at the side of Shaun's torso, hand still jerking him off wildly, reaching the point of over-sensitivity when Shaun comes over his hand and the sheets.

He slides out, hands shaking, and collapses back onto the bed next to Shaun, who drags him closer and manoeuvres the covers over them, humming in satisfaction as Zach drifts off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**The insert for Chapter 12…**

* * *

><p>Zach rolls his eyes,<p>

"You are so corny."

"Mm-hmm, that's why you love me." Zach looks at him with an eyebrow raised.

"I think it's actually because you give _great_ head."

"You are so vulgar." Shaun murmurs, pulling gently on Zach's forearms until he's practically sitting on his lap.

"What is this?" Zach says, gesturing to their awkward position. Shaun shrugs and looks at Zach with _that_ expression that just seems to get his dick hard and his heart thumping like a gong.

"You know," Shaun says softly, running a hand down the skin of his arm softly, "it isn't long before we're gonna be tied together for life. Which means," he continues, pulling Zach fully onto his lap, "that I can do_ this," _he says, pulling on the skin of Zach's neck with his teeth, "as much as I want, for as long as we're both still living."

"Even when we're old and gross?"

"Even then, I promise."

Zach moves his hands up to Shaun's cheeks, running the palms over the shadow of stubble peeking through the skin. Tilting his head upward, he leans down to press a kiss to Shaun's lips. Making one of the noises that make Zach blush, Shaun moves them round, Zach slipping from his lap to the bed, wriggling across to make room. Shaun reaches across and traces his hand down the line of the inside of Zach's thigh, hand moving under the fabric of his shorts. Zach shudders, hands fisting in the sheets as he tries to think of something other than how freaking amazing this feels.

"Are you alright babe?" Shaun says, looking at Zach with his bright eyes and lightly flushed cheeks.

"You look beautiful." Zach blurts out, face colouring as he realises what he's said. Endearments never roll off his tongue easily, and his inability to accept a compliment is one of the only things about him that Shaun doesn't understand.

"So do you."

Shaun keeps eye contact as he reaches over Zach to pull his shorts down over his legs. Zach smiles a little, but there's still the shy, unsure kid lurking at the back of his eyes.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Just not used to the whole strip show thing." Shaun snorts and throws the shorts onto the floor, moving up the bed toward him.

"Hey, lose the shirt already."

Zach laughs and shrugs out of the t-shirt, laying back on the bed and stretching, a yawn appearing out of nowhere

"Not tired, huh?" Shaun says, coming to lie next to him, running one warm hand down his torso lightly.

"I'm just relaxed, that's all. Don't worry, I'll still put out."

Shaun trails his hand lower and lower, hand feeling the shape of Zach through his boxers as he murmurs

"I sure hope so."

It's strange; Zach feels as though he's on the edge of sleep as Shaun maps his body with his fingers and tongue, all so beautifully gentle and soothing that it seems like any moment he'll lose his weak grip on consciousness and just drift away.

Shaun drinks in the sight of Zach's body, rippling and pulsing with breath and twitching whenever he feels something particularly pleasurable. The only sounds that fill the room are the gentle sigh of breathing, the rustle of skin against fabric and the faraway hum of traffic. Shaun can't remember the last time they had a chance to be so mellow.

Somewhere in between the sound of barking from the dog down the street and the rustling of the trees, Shaun ends up on top, holding his weight on his arms as he and Zach move together wordlessly. Zach can't be sure if he is even awake, but the feelings he's getting as Shaun moves above him, using lips, fingers and even his tongue, make him feel like he's not even on this planet.

"Hey, stay with me babe," Shaun murmurs, and Zach drags open his eyes to meet Shaun's. He smiles, and pulls his legs apart a little wider, feeling Shaun circle, stroke and open, before gently, smoothly sliding into him, his mouth open against Zach's shoulder to contain his inhale of breath.

Zach wraps his arms about Shaun's waist, moving his ankles to wrap about the tops of his legs.

"I love you." He breathes, and Shaun murmurs it back to him as he moves inside him.

Zach tips his head back, mouth opening in a wordless moan as he reaches a sleepy, gentle orgasm, fingers tightening in the flesh of Shaun's broad shoulders.

Shaun groans quietly as he feels Zach tighten about him, and gently bites down on the skin of Zach's neck as he comes, feeling like there is no way on this earth that he could ever be pulled away from him, because Zach and Cody have buried themselves so deeply in his heart that he would never survive without them.

When he slides out Zach lies, head tipped to one side, arm up, the ink of his tattoo mottled by the shadows in the room. Shaun curls about him and pulls the cover up to shelter them both. With the sounds of distant traffic and Zach's breathing steady in his ears, he drifts off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

"Three whole years, can you believe it?" Shaun murmurs against Zach's cheek, his breath reaching out to tickle the sensitive skin beneath Zach's ear. He shifts in his arms and _hmmm_'s happily, seeking out the lips that have taught him to feel like he never thought he could.

Here, in Shaun's arms, Zach can barely believe his luck. Back when it had all started, that feeling of dread he couldn't shake when he realised that he was attracted to another man had been always on his mind. The growing attraction he'd put down to friendship, respect, familiarity, and that culminated in a gut-churning, frantic night full of laughter and urgency, seems to have changed over the years, producing this wonderful, warming glow that resides in the Shaun-shaped space in his heart.

He remembers all the fear, all of the shame he felt, and the hurt in Shaun's eyes as he realised that he was being kept a dirty little secret. To look at how far they've come now, he can't believe it.

Shaun gently covers the hands that are at the bottom of his shirt and strokes the skin on backs of them, moving them up so Zach's hands travel up the front of his shirt.

Zach loves Shaun's muscles – toned from exercise, but not so big that he can't feel his heartbeat, or the pulse points in his neck and wrists.

"I love feeling your hands on me," Shaun murmurs, tipping his head to one side as Zach's hands ghost over the skin of his Adam's apple.

Zach can't say it, but he has this fiery need to have Shaun, to mark him, to prove to the world that these rings _mean_ something. His Neanderthal side wants to walk down the street holding Shaun's hand, and for people to look at them and _know_ that it's him that gets to take this successful, good-looking guy to bed every night. His very Zach-like side knows he can't always do that, because some people don't want to know, but for tonight, his primal, male side wins out.

He grips onto Shaun's shirt and pushes him down onto the bed, enjoying the little _oomph_ of exhaled breath that is torn from his lips, before he watches Shaun shuffle back onto the bed until he's lying, legs apart, the bulge in his trousers noticeable and so appealing.

Zach doesn't say anything, doesn't snarl and growl and tear his clothes off, but does come to kneel across Shaun's body, pushing his arms back down above his head when he tries to touch him. Shaun's eyes are wide, and he swallows back what he wants to say, blinking as he stares up at the fiercely tender look upon Zach's face.

Zach brings down his hand, fingers slightly splayed, to cover Shaun's hardness, and grins when his eyes roll up inside his head, muscles twitching.

Slowly he drags the zip on those smart trousers down, the sound of the zip hissing over the teeth like some kind of erotic soundtrack to their wedding night.

Shaun clenches his hands so tightly he can feel the nails digging into the skin at the base of his palms.

Zach peels the trousers down, laughing breathlessly to himself at the sight of _those_ boxers; the ones that always get him hot and bothered.

"You trying to tell me something?" he asks, and Shaun opens one eye to look up at him, raising his eyebrow before thumping his head back down when Zach runs his fingers under the waistband of his underwear.

The next few minutes feel like a bit of a blur, because once Shaun has shrugged his shirt and tie off, kicking off his socks, trousers and boxers, they both lose track of time. Zach has his fingers on him instantly, bringing him close to orgasm with quick, firm strokes on his dick, making Shaun completely fall apart beneath him.

When Zach goes to roll Shaun over on to his hands and knees, he's already halfway there, and Zach coats his fingers with lube quicker than he can ever remember doing it before. He's fumbling with shirt buttons when Shaun turns his head around, grunting with frustration.

"Leave the shirt on; just _do_ it, for God's sake!"

Zach unzips himself, pulling his underwear and trousers down his legs as far as they will go, before wrapping one hand around Shaun's length and thrusting forward, needing to just feel heat and pressure and…._jesus!_

The times when they've done this before, Zach has always tried to hold back, make it longer, better, more meaningful, but judging by how tightly Shaun is holding on to the headboard, and the way he's thrusting backward like some kind of _whore_, he knows it just isn't going to last long.

Just before he feels himself coming, Zach bends over the beautiful arc of Shaun's back, nipping down the line of his vertebrae, enjoying the gasping, choking sounds that spill from his mouth. When he feels the torrential, eye-widening, toe-curling, breath-stealing wave come from the pit of his stomach, he wraps his arms about Shaun's waist and buries himself so deeply inside him that he can feel the muscles all the way inside him clenching and pulling at him, begging him not to leave.

He pulls out jerkily, leaving Shaun gasping and shuddering, pulling him down and flipping him over, before taking Shaun in his mouth and sucking him until he comes with a bellow, hands threaded in Zach's hair, hips twitching.

"_Fuck_!" Shaun gasps, a quivering heap on the bed, one arm thrown across his eyes. "What in hell got into you?" Zach looked over at him, suddenly unsure.

"Sorry, too much?" Shaun looks at him as if he's lost his mind.

"N…no, not like that. You were just….oh my God!"

Zach snickers, the little voice inside him saying _fuck yeah, I made him come like that, that was all me._

"If you can be trusted not to try that again just yet, I think you should come over here and just lie. Experience some of the afterglow shit."

Zach curls up into Shaun's side, limbs pulsing with that beautifully spaced out feeling, and buries his nose into that spot where it just smells like Shaun.

"Hey, deviant," Shaun says, and Zach rolls his eyes, "quit sniffing me."

The yawn escapes Zach's mouth before he can make his comeback, and he just lazily sticks his middle finger up as he tugs the cover over them once more.

"Love you." Shaun mumbles, and Zach nods his head and squeezes him tightly in reply.


End file.
